politics. But I am concerned to encourage an honest and open debate so that particular interests or
ideologieswill not prejudice the common good.
IV.
POLITICSANDECONOMY INDIALOGUEFORHUMANFULFILMENT
189. Politics must not be subject to the economy, nor should the economy be subject to the dictates
of an efficiency-driven paradigm of technocracy. Today, in view of the common good, there is urgent
need for politics and economics to enter into a frank dialogue in the service of life, especially human
life. Saving banks at any cost, making the public pay the price, foregoing a firm commitment to
reviewing and reforming the entire system, only reaffirms the absolute power of a financial system, a
power which has no future andwill only give rise to new crises after a slow, costly and only apparent
recovery. The financial crisis of 2007-08 provided an opportunity to develop a new economy, more
attentive to ethical principles, and new ways of regulating speculative financial practices and virtual
wealth. But the response to the crisis did not include rethinking the outdated criteriawhich continue to
rule the world. Production is not always rational, and is usually tied to economic variables which
assign to products a value that does not necessarily correspond to their real worth. This frequently
leads to an overproduction of some commodities, with unnecessary impact on the environment and
with negative results on regional economies.
133
The financial bubble also tends to be a productive
bubble. The problem of the real economy is not confronted with vigour, yet it is the real economy
which makes diversification and improvement in production possible, helps companies to function
well, and enables small andmediumbusinesses to develop and create employment.
190. Here too, it should always be kept in mind that “environmental protection cannot be assured
solely on the basis of financial calculations of costs and benefits. The environment is one of those
goods that cannot be adequately safeguarded or promoted bymarket forces”.
134
Oncemore, we need to
reject amagical conception of themarket, whichwould suggest that problems can be solved simply by
an increase in the profits of companies or individuals. Is it realistic to hope that thosewho are obsessed
withmaximizingprofits will stop to reflect on the environmental damage which theywill leave behind
for future generations? Where profits alone count, there can be no thinking about the rhythms of
133
Cf.MEXICANBISHOPS’CONFERENCE,EPISCOPALCOMMISSIONFORPASTORALANDSOCIAL
CONCERNS,
Jesucristo, vida yesperanzade los indígenas ecampesinos
(14 January2008).
134
PONTIFICALCOUNCILFOR JUSTICEANDPEACE,
Compendiumof the SocialDoctrineof theChurch
, 470.
